I reviewed Falu’s recent CD back in August. Now, she and her band have been featured in a Fox show called Fearless Music, which generally airs late at night on Saturdays (this may vary, depending on where you live). This is the song “Rabba,” from the show:
(I like the Hindi + rock sound… Though I wonder how it will play, as it were, in Peoria?)
Incidentally, Falu will be teaming up with DJ Rekha for a new, hybrid live music + DJ dance party at Canal Room, on January 31. The event is called “Bangles and Backbeats.”
Forget Peoria. It’s not her market anyway. Great Post! Do you know if she has a fan club so I can be like..her.. No.1 fan. Seriously, I think it’s good stuff. It reminds me of an updated Bollywood classic. I could see it inserted in the devotional/love portion of a movie.
I’m not sure I like the sound, but she sings great!
I know it’s incredibly irrational, but my initial reaction when I first heard about her a year or two ago was irritation that she had contracted her name to just “Falu”, when she could go by Falguni. She does sing well, though.
not bad…but the song has an A R Rahman feel to it.
But Falu evokes musical genius Fela, musical genre Fado, and (to a much lesser extent) even reminds us of international popstar Bono.
Also, fava, which is quite musical.
its ok…not that good… more faltu than falu
Her appeal will probably hinge on the target audience. It probably won’t be niche music fans because the backing track is pretty predictable and tame. The melody is fine but nothing really grabbing your attention–which is super awesome in an elevator or while you’re braving the local indoor mall, but probably not enough to get a dedicated fanbase together.
can anyone tell me why this song sounds very similar to something i have heard before? for life of me, i can’t get where and it is killing me.
Its seems amateurish , she tries to link up a patch work of popular hindi lyrics with rock beats. Its indeed faltu
9 · bytewords said
Sounds like a cover of a very old song, although I can;t point my finger at where I have heard the song before
This is a remake of a Lata song (Aan Milo Sajna). Boy, is Falu besura or what?
The FOX performance is quite mediocre, but the samples on her website are significantly better. They’re still firmly in the muzak genre though, as muralimannered #8 points out.
Actually, having seen Falu live for years in NYC including a classical performance at both Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, I’ve become quite a huge fan (maybe #2 if Jangali Janwar is okay with that?) Perhaps Fox decided to air the most “accessible” of her work in some ways?
For example, listen to the song “Copper Can” on her myspace site, which is significantly darker and though-provoking lyrically, and features one of the greatest Hindustani classical musicians of our time, Ustad Sultan Khan:
http://www.myspace.com/falu
“theek” hai. She has managed to kill both genre’s in one shot….
Below are the lyrics from my favorite Falu song “In the Rain” from her CD, which I have on repeat. In my humble opinion, I think it’s gorgeous songwriting and a beautiful merging of the thumrie theme with modern songwriting:
Bhigi jaaun mai piya, bachaaye laiho, bhigi jaaun
“Evening’s come, I walk along the oceanside, Thundering clouds are hovering in the light. And I pray, and I pray, and I pray in the rain. In the rain I saw you wide awake and stumbling, in the rain.
The one I love is far away across the sea. I’m waiting for his secret touch of ecstasy. And I pray, and I pray, and I pray in the rain. In the rain I saw you wide awake and stumbling, in the rain.”
Bhigi jaaun mai piya
I didn’t think she was out of tone. Granted, the lyrics on this song are a little weak but who honestly doesn’t like hearing an attractive woman sing “hai rabba”. I’m also a fan of the old bollywood songs which this definitely has a feel of; I think calling it faltu maybe a little extreme. I guess people have their own tastes…
I actually pulled a rah and bought the CD. (Support brown music! [Including my own!])
It’s not bad stuff at all: the musicians know what they’re doing and Falu’s got a healthy set of pipes. My only complaint? Not enough mirch. Eventually, the album resembled a fruit salad, with it’s different brightly colored parts all tasting more or less the same. Junoon? Those guys were swimming in mirch. “Azadi” could keep my in rapt attention from track 1 to 15, and leave me craving more. Forget oil pulling and its equally unctuous hucksters: a Junoon a day will cure all your aches, pains, and “help you See with your eyes all problems created by your enimies with BLACK MAGIC to destroy your life are finished in just 24 hrs” [sic]
Quizman, how is this a remake of Aan Milo Sajna? If by “remake” you mean sharing the same first four words, true.
I’ve wondered for some time why it is that in Indian music (in classical and in bollywood soundtracks)the female voice is pitched so high (Ashe Bhosle, for example). Is it because a lower register in a female voice is considered unattractive? Even the male voices are high.
Anyone have any insight?
I just listened to her newer tracks on her site (I’m familiar with her prior classical work), and actually I’m really into them, some more than others (I agree that Rabba is simple in melody and lyrics – but it’s catchy seems dying to be remixed).
However, to set the record straight regarding tuning, and to echo Jangali Janwar (being a long-time student of Hindustani music and disciple of Hari-ji myself) – she is quite in sur. In the music circles I roam in, Falu is in fact well-regarded for her sur. I certainly don’t think Carnegie Hall would choose her as an ambassador of Indian music otherwise, and neither would Yo-Yo Ma whom she’s collaborated with on the Silk Road Project (unless one of you thinks he’s also besura). I also heard she has an upcoming collab with Philip Glass. Being a singer myself, in any live performance some minimal frequency inaccuracy is expected – even the legendary Ustad Amir Khan had his moments and I love him for being human.
I’m going to check her out at the Canal Room show myself on Jan. 31 since I’m in NYC.
I just discovered that Falu also has an upcoming performance opening for DJ Drrrty Poonjabi’s favorite band – Junoon – this time for National Geographic – may be worth a drive down to DC.
Everyone’s got their taste but I’m joining the fan club myself – sorry folks.
My apologies to Amardeep et al. I forgot part 1 of my comment.
The band is great. Falu is a looker with a lovely sound, but I wonder if she’s holding back vocally. I keep waiting to hear her open up full throttle. Unreasonable western expectations on my part? And that keyboardist looks like James Iha.
Right on “Musafir” (love the alias!) – personally I think the niche audience is going to be largely non-South Asians in the end…
It seems like she opens up full throttle at the end of “Without You” but also starts with a low tone. I myself never understood why high pitch is considered good in Indian music – and I don’t love it myself – but I think it was a trend set by Lata and carried forth by everyone trying to copy her. If you look at Noor Jehan (whom Lata followed) she was quite different in her tone.
Falu’s has an amazing voice but I am not sure the “Fela” or “Fado” comparison is justified. Musically, there is no comparison to Fela – he pioneered Afrobeat – sound that brought funk, soul, jazz with highlife music of W. Africa (not to mention he worked with my fav drummer of all time, Tony Allen). the man was insanely talented. Fado vocalists like Mariza or Amalia Rodrigues are on a stratosphere that few vocalists reach – I have seen Mariza in action where she commanded a modestly sized concert hall with no mics. It was hauntingly beautiful..haunting and powerful. My wife and I were left speechless. Falu’s musical arrangements and composition leave a bit to be desired. but there is no denying that she has a great voice. She’s good people too…
I certainly will look into this. Thanks for responding, Dimple.
understood and agreed.
danielbeloved – how do you know Falu (if I may ask)?
Thanks Dimple – your alias (or real name) is not bad either.
For a taste of Falu’s classical power – check this out rendition of her song “Eastbound” (which I first heard her do with Karyshma years ago).
I always look forward to these music posts. Just checked out her myspace link….it’s cool that they’re going for sort of an indie rock sound with a couple of those songs with an indian classical base. hope to hear her live!…i’ll try to make it to the philly show.
That has always bugged me and been the main reason I hesitated to play Hindi music for my non-desi friends when I was a kid. I don’t know if the reason for high-pitched vocals in Bollywood is due to a hold-over from classical music, but I think Lata Mangeshkar did a lot to really cement that in. She sang VERY high, and generations of women have tried to sound just like her. Plus she had a virtual monopoly for decades. Thankfully her influence is ebbing and the newer female singers tend to sing lower.
Dimple (#23) I read your comment AFTER posting my comment above, but I see we’re basically saying the same thing. I’m glad I’m not the only one who blames Lata.
I feel that Lata Mangeshkar sang in higher registers as she grew older. Is that just my perception?
Although there is one recent song of hers, Lukka Chhuppi, from Rang De Basanti, where the combination of her high pitch and Rehman’s low pitch and rugged male vocals combined to gorgeous effect.
Cherchez la femme.
I’ve been mistaking Lata’s voice for Asha Bhosle’s – especially Rang de Basanti soundtrack – oops. I love the work A.B did with the Kronos Quartet. It’s a beautiful sound especially when blended with warmer tones (i.e., Rehman’s voice).
26 · Musafir said
This song doesn’t do justice to her voice. If you have seen her bust out nusrat or classical ragas in NYC, she is unreal. I just went to the sa re ga ma pa music show in Los Angeles(folks who are very big now) and she is as good as any of the singers there. I wonder if there is going to be a cross over phenomenon like a shakira that is possible with a South Asian artist. Her fusion pop tracks just aren’t as powerful as her classical stuff, I think.
This is in response to comment number 12 by Quizman. Sorry – I realise everyone has freedom to voice their opinion, but I cannot fathom what kind of spite would force you to use the word besura for such a wonderful singer. I have been an ardent follower of classical music for many years enjoying the best like Ustad Amir Khan, Rashid Khan , Parveen Sulatana etc and I feel Falu has a beautiful and very melodious voice, that she is very well trained is so obvious in her command of the surs in all her songs. Maybe there was something wrong in your speakers (or your hearing?). I would really like to listen to your rendition of the song and see what credibility you have before posting such comments about such a wonderful singer.
I like this! Never liked Lata Mangeshkar’s singing. Much preferred Asha Bhonsle.
On a separate note,
Main tho “hai” pe hi fida ho gaya.
Comments which are typed IN ALL CAPS will be DELETED.
I think that Falu is really awesome. I recently saw some interviews that she did. Everyone who likes Falu should check them out. You get to know a little more about her.
http://uncensoredinterview.com/artists/136-Falu